


The Stars Are Prettier.

by mivp



Series: The Stars Are Prettier [1]
Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-26
Updated: 2017-07-26
Packaged: 2018-12-07 03:02:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 319
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11614521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mivp/pseuds/mivp
Summary: Soonyoung and Jihoon were wondering why "the moon is pretty" means "I love you."





	The Stars Are Prettier.

They were 18, under the clear night sky of Matsubara[1]. Both Soonyoung and Jihoon were walking home from the cram they always attend every day after school (they didn’t think the cram was helpful enough to make them pass the university test, but all their friends were going, so they decided to go to). It was almost 9, smile plastered on their faces, laughs echoed in a quite peaceful night.

“I still don’t understand the correlation between “the moon is pretty” and “I love you”. Don’t you think it’s weird to express your love by saying a compliment to the moon?” asked Soonyoung as he looked up to face the sky. It was a beautiful full moon.

Jihoon stopped and eyes on the moon. “I don’t know. But… I do feel nice knowing I am able to see a beautiful view with someone I love—you, I mean, like tonight.” Soonyoung grinned so wide. “Maybe Natsume Soseki thinks that kind of feeling is equivalent with love? Not really sure, but maybe that’s why Natsume Soseki chose those words? The moon is really pretty tonight, by the way.”

“I love you, too.”

***

He is 32, under the clear night sky of Tokyo. Jihoon is an ordinary salaryman for an ordinary company. His department just held a welcome party for a new employee and now he’s in charge of walking the new girl home since it is past midnight already.

The girl suddenly stops. She looks up and smiles. “The moon looks so pretty today.”

Jihoon knows she literally means the moon looks pretty (not the other meaning), and he followed, eyes on the night sky. He remembers someone from the past— _his first love_ —as he stares to the glowing dots up there, next to the mentioned moon. “Naah. The stars[2] are prettier.”

 

[1] Matsubara: a city in Osaka Prefecture, Japan.

[2] Star in Japanese is 星 (hoshi).

**Author's Note:**

> Natsume Soseki (夏目漱石) was a Japanese novelist from Meiji period and also a English-Japanese translator and a teacher. While translating some English, he thought the way Western saying lots "I love you"s was not fit to Japan (especially in Meiji era), and he changed that with "月がきれいですね" (the moon is pretty). He said it was enough to communicate your feeling because he was a person in Meiji period when feeling was common rather than love. Up until now, "the moon is pretty" is often being used as a poetic form for conveying loves.


End file.
